RRRRRAAAAARRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!

[Cupcake]

Get a PowerA Wireless Gamecube Controller. They're fantastic and roughly the same price as an 8bitdo.

I'll have to check that out. How's the D-pad? Because the Gamecube's D-pad was not my favorite.

I believe it's bigger than the GCC's, because they based it on the 3DS D-pad, I THINK. I'm not sure. Either way, the controller is really nice, and has bluetooth connectivity, too, so it can be used for anything the 8bitdo can

[MartyS (Gromit)]

 Power has been out for almost 20 hours now, it's never fun not having power but now seems so much worse.

 It's supposed to be back on in the next 5 hours.

[wihogfan]

Wasn't going to go anywhere except work for 2 weeks after a big grocery store trip on Thursday...and then wife had a tire that wouldn't inflate, so had to go get it plugged yesterday...and this morning 20 year old microwave bit the dust, so had to run to Walmart for a new one...amazing how much we depend on a microwave to reheat things.

[wihogfan]

Walmart had only 2 decent sized microwaves in stock. Identical models except one was 1,000 watts and the other was 1,100 watts. Bought the 1,000 watt model because it was $45 cheaper. Was second guessing my choice after leaving the store because dead one was 1,200 watts. But holy crap does this new one heat faster then the one that died.

[Cupcake]

Alright, I've discovered my least favorite people in this pandemic. It's the middle aged suburban moms who see someone they know at the grocery store. They just HAVE to be irritating and take up a whole aisle to have a conversation with their friend. And the conversation isn't anything that's important, and it's ALWAYS THE SAME ONE. "How are you holding up during this whole thing? It's crazy,  huh?" Yes, Karen, now move your fucking ass and let me get a loaf of bread.

[RVR II]

Ran into a couple of those cackling hens at our local Walmart and BiLo grocery stores this week..
I just kinda made them move out of my way

[wihogfan]

When they leave their carts (usually when in groups of more then 2), I like to take their carts and leave them in the far corner of the store.

[stethacantus]

 As I had mentioned before in other threads, Monty Python had their Flying Circus series remastered and restored recently for it's Blu-ray release. Initially released only in Region 2 countries in PAL, some time about a year ago the company releasing the limited edition Norwegian Blu-ray set made a NSTC Region 1 version for Canada and the United States. And when I found out it was available, made the mistake of ordering from Amazon instead of from the company releasing it. It was slightly cheaper  on Amazon, and I already had an account. But then Amazon kept sending either opened used sets with the limited edition packaging damaged in some way, or the region 2 sets which do not work in the U.S. After returning the set six or seven times for replacements, someone at Amazon said how mortified the company was to have this happen so often, so this time they were going to priority mail overnight the next replacement.

Okay, that is just part one of the saga. Part two, the overnight priority mail was supposed to be shipped on the 9th, but the third party seller fulfilling for Amazon had it in "Ready to be shipped" status until the 13th when it was actually picked up by USPS. That is where the tracking began, it then made it's way to Pittsburg, which took two frigging days. Remember, this is an overnight rush. It then sat in Pittsburg for God knows how long, because up until yesterday, that is where the tracking ended. Amazon kept updating its arrival status, finally giving it as "Arriving between April 25th - April 30th. I kept checking the tracking status and it never changed Then on the 30th Amazon listed it as "This item will arrive today by 8:00pm", completely ignoring the tracking status which said it was still in Pittsburg. So on Friday the 1st, Amazon listed it as "Your package may be lost", and advised me to contact the third party seller. Which I did, and he said he could not do anything until the post office confirms they lost it. So I had to go to the Post Office today, and ask them to find the package, which they could not, but insisted it was still at the Pittsburg facility  waiting to be sent to New Jersey, and they cant call it lost. And to give it another week, and if the package does not show up, they will investigate. I get home, and the USPS retro added this to the shipping status:

So basically, no refund or replacement until the USPS admits they lost the package. And I have no idea if it is lost, or sitting in some USPS warehouse where there was a virus outbreak, the staff was sent home, and the packages quarantined, or something like that. But as of now they are claiming it is in transit ( without any tracking )  to avoid having to admit it is lost.

[RVR II]

Yeah this is weird
Anything mailed Priority Mail Express is a guaranteed delivery service so based on what you've posted, it definitely looks lost to me.
The Postal system has been dealing with being grossly under staffed in places that could be virus related but the computer system should still be scanning all packages and updating them in the system.
I don't know if you decided to back to buy the set from the other seller but after what you've gone through already, I would and just wait for a refund from Amazon

[MartyS (Gromit)]

 3rd party seller fulfilling for Amazon?  Something doesn't sound right about that.  The set I bought on April 15th was sold by Amazon and shipped by Amazon, just checked and they have 20 left in stock.  Mine did come from Ontario Canada but had all the normal Amazon packaging I normally see.

[stethacantus]

If the item came from Canada then it is very likely from a third party. Something has been wrong with Amazon in the past few months where you purchase something listed as in stock, and it is delivered from a third party seller as a fulfilment. You all know how the fulfilment scheme works. How if Amazon suddenly finds themselves out of stock on an item, a third party seller fills in until Amazon gets the item back in stock, or decides it is OOP and only offers their inventory of used copies instead. I am guessing things got so hectic at the Amazon warehouses that they lost track of what is actually in stock, or where in one of their vast warehouses that item is stored, and they don't find out an item is out of stock until after it was ordered and can't be located for shipping. At least two of the Monty Python sets sent as replacements from Amazon were third party fulfilments. When that happens you are forced to contact the seller first, then once they agree to a refund, contact amazon for reimbursement of the return shipping cost, and arrange for a replacement. Although at that point the next one is more of a reorder than a replacement.

As for the USPS, there has been a few other times where something that a seller clamed was overnight priority mail took days to be delivered.  One of them sat in a Washington State PO for three days before being transported to the state distribution center, where it sat for another two days before it was shipped again, then when my PO got it on a Friday, waited until Monday to deliver it.  This was a few years ago. I probably would have never noticed had the seller not sent an e-mail claiming priority mail and I didn't expect it the next day. In contrast, a DVD I order from Korea via third class mail once took 24 hours to reach my doorstep. I was very surprised to see it on my doorstep the next day as I had assumed it would take a couple of weeks to be shipped from the other side of the planet. 

[wihogfan]

I expect shipping delays right now, but yeah Amazon kind of all over the place with shipments. Ordered a DVD set that stated it was in stock but would be delayed 4 to 6 weeks due to not being a priority item. Arrived in 4 days. Ordered some video games and video game accessories- no non-priority message and all arrived in 2 to 4 days. Ordered a battery pack-in stock, but non priority item-still waiting after 5 weeks. Ordered a replacement watch band on Saturday, non-priority message, but it arrived on Sunday.

[Cupcake]

My mother is upset with me for only giving her half of the money she's holding hostage from my aunt's life insurance policy. I'm such an ungrateful child for LETTING her continue to pay for things like phone service and auto insurance, both at her insistence. I've made it clear multiple times that I'm willing to pay for those things on my own, but she always says "No, it's just easier and cheaper for you to stay on my plans". Probably because then she has something to hold over me. I stopped paying her rent months ago because A) I couldn't afford it with debt collectors fighting me for literally all of my paycheck and B) she proved to me that all I'm worth to her is how much I give her a month. I help with groceries, I give money when I can. I don't think it's unreasonable for me to give her half of money that is mine. I don't HAVE to give her anything. I probably shouldn't give her entitled ass anything. Already signed up for Google Fi, so I'll be moving off her phone plan. I don't know about auto insurance, because I technically don't own a car, and the policy just renewed in April. If I can get on my own plan, though, I will.

[stethacantus]

I herd this story on another forum a while back. Maybe a decade ago. It was just after I had realized Amazon sent me a used DVD instead of a  new one, the first time I noticed that happened, although reexamining earlier DVD sets I had bought from them, it appears they ad been getting away with it for a while without me noticing. But at the time I noticed  a DVD was used for the first time, I assumed it had to be some sort of mistake. Then I mentioned it on another forum and got responses from many other film collectors complaining they also received used DVDs they had to return to Best Buy, K-Mart, Borders and Barnes & Noble. At the time Barnes & Noble seemed to be the worst offender. And someone told this story:

He ordered a collectors box set for the first Spiderman film. When he opened it, he noticed that some of the collectables that were suppose to be in there were missing. A reprint of Amazing Fantasy which was supposed to be sealed in a plastic bag wasn't. Neither DVD in the set was factory sealed. And he began to notice the box for the set itself had a lot of scuffs on it. He realized he had been sent a used copy. So he complained to Barnes & Noble, and they asked for it to be returned. Deciding he didn't want Barnes & Noble to try to sell it to someone else less suspecting, he put a note in the box stating "If you had ordered a new factory sealed set, please note that this set has been opened and used, and some of the memorabilia is missing, and demand Barnes & Noble refund you immediately!" So he sent it back, and after a week Barnes & Noble confirmed they got the return and began to process a replacement set. They also apologized for the mistake, and assured him they would do a full investigation. So the replacement set came, and he opened it up, and guess what he found it? His note!

 I think of that story a lot whenever I have to return used items to Amazon. And today as well. Several times I had ordered and returned the Monty Python Norwegian Blu-ray set for being used. About six or so times I had to return a set. The last one was utterly ruined on the inside of the box. Apparently whoever had the set decided to rip the box apart to get the discs out instead of carefully removing it from the display. Just basically destroying the entire collectable box. I was told the problem came from one of the distributors who apparently flooded the market with used and region locked discs, and that distributor was blacklisted, and the next set I got would definitely be factory new. It was shipped over night, but then ended up stuck in Pittsburg for an entire month. I am not sure what the problem was. But yesterday it arrived in New Jersey, then today ended up on my doorstep. So I opened it up, and immediately could tell the set had been used by the shoddy way the plastic bag had been reattached. Opened it up, and sure enough the individual season boxes had some wear and ding damage. Just enough to return the set. I am not going to spend over $100 for a collectors set and not get it in mint condition.

And so the saga continues.

[wihogfan]

Impinged tendon or nerve or whatever it was that the doctor told me last year was wrong when I had shoulder pain last year hit again this week. Wish I could attribute it to something I did other then sleeping on that side. Finally starting to feel better today after 3 days of pain. Didn't lose as much sleep as last time due to maximum doses of ibuprofen before bed, but hate taking drugs (even ibuprofen) and fear at some point I'm going to need the surgery to shave down the bone that the doc told me I'd likely need eventually. Getting old and hurting from just sleeping sucks.